The Greatest Time of Year
by Let's Call Her The Tarryn
Summary: The McDonald Venturis are spending their Christmas in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. With earlier events still lingering in the air, causing Derek and Casey to resent each other more than ever, how will they ever survive the holidays? .:Dasey:. [MAJOR HIATUS]
1. Of freak outs and hot cocoa

Yay! A holiday story! I'm really happy about how this is going (since I have several chapters finished). I can tell you right now that this won't be finished by the time the New Year comes around, but oh well. I'm sure you all will enjoy it just the same!

I've decided to post this now because I'm getting out of school tomorrow, and I'll have a lot of time. And seeing as every time I've had time I've been able to finish about two chapters in one day. So, whoo!

x—x

"Casey, you've got to breath!" Emily cried. "You're turning blue!"

"Yeah, and sweetie, blue really isn't your color." Kendra shook her head slowly observing Casey.

"Oh, great! Good job Kendra. Now she's hyperventilating." Emily said, glaring at Kendra before going back to focus on her best friend who was indeed breathing in and out extremely quickly.

Casey quickly took out an empty paper bag from her bag -she had begun to keep some with her ever since the math grade incident- and began to breath into it.

"Casey, slow down!" Kendra said.

"Hey, what's-whoa. Okay, what happened?" Noel had walked up and was looking at Casey in concern.

Emily put a hand to her head and then used the other hand to point at the piece of paper that was posted on the wall in front of them.

Noel looked at it warily before stepping closer to it.

"The cast list for the holiday musical?" Noel asked.

Emily motioned for him to keep reading it as Kendra patted the still hyperventilating Casey.

Noel looked back at the paper. "Okay, Casey got the female lead and-Hey!" Noel turned to look at the girls. "I didn't get the male lead."

"No! No, you didn't!" Casey finally spoke. "But look who did!" She cried angrily, pointing at the paper. "Look who did!"

"Derek." Emily said solemnly.

"How did Derek get the lead?" Noel asked, rubbing the side of his temple.

"Because he's hot and was the life of that pirate musical." Kendra offered.

Emily, Casey and Noel all turned and glared at her.

"What? It's true." Kendra shrugged. "No offense." She directed toward Noel and Casey.

Noel took a deep breath. "It'll be okay." He assured. "You live with Derek, you've worked with him in a musical before. You'll be able to handle it."

"Noel, I am the lead." Casey said. "I am the lead and Derek is the lead."

"...And?" Noel asked.

"You were the last lead with me. Leads are usually romantically inclined." Casey said.

"You don't know that for sure." Noel said.

Casey narrowed her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

"I helped write the script. I think I know what's going to happen."

Her three friends all grimaced knowing what a romantic sap Casey was and that whatever she helped write for the musical she definitely hadn't been envisioning for herself and Derek.

That would be a massacre musical, not a merry one.

"Ouch." Noel said slowly. "This is going to be painful."

"Physically or emotionally?" Kendra questioned.

"Emotionally for our dear Casey. Quite possibly physically for Derek." Emily said.

"Oh no. Physically for me, too." Casey said scrunching up her face.

Her friends looked at her curiously.

"Said musical that I helped write with said romantically inclined leads share an obligatory kiss." Casey said.

Once again her friends grimaced.

"I'll be physically convulsing, for sure." Casey said.

"Don't worry, Casey. It probably won't be that bad." Emily said.

"And we'll be there to support you." Kendra assured.

"It's Derek. He'll try to weasel his way out of it. It might actually work this time." Noel said.

"I don't think so." A voice said.

Derek slid his way in between the group and looked at the list.

"Yup. Got the lead. And so did you, Case." Derek said smirking. "I figured as much with how you were freaking out in front of the cast list."

Casey glared at him and Emily, sensing that she was about to lunge at him took a small step between them.

"Derek, just save us all the headache and beg for an out." Noel said.

Derek locked his teeth and mocked thinking. "See, I would do that, except, you know, I actually tried out for this part."

All four stared at Derek, unbelieving.

"Okay, fine. Since I made the last musical so popular I get an automatic A for all of next semester if I can rock this one, too." Derek admitted. "You can't beat that. Especially when you need to keep your place as captain of the hockey team."

Casey glared daggers at him. "Derek, you haven't read the script! You don't know what it's about."

"Yes, but I know what it's not about. And it's not about rapping pirates. Anything that's not about rapping pirates can't be that bad." Derek shrugged.

"The two leads have a kissing scene." Noel said dryly.

Derek didn't seem to understand for a moment, but it was obvious when the information processed. His face contorted in disgust but quickly became relaxed.

"So what? We just don't kiss. I mean, they can't make us kiss. That would be like...illegal. We could sue."

"I thought step sibling stuff was legal." Kendra said.

Everyone turned to look at her and she shrank back silently.

"Whatever." Derek said, crossing his arms. "They still can't make us"

--

"WHAT?"

"There is no way that you cannot kiss." Ms. Harold said.

Casey and Derek stared at her, slack-jawed.

"You have to be kidding me." Derek said dryly.

"No. I am not. And I am surprised at you, Casey. I would have thought that you of all people would understand the importance of the kiss! You helped write it, after all." Ms. Harold said.

"That was before I knew that Derek was going to be the lead!" Casey cried, throwing her arms up in the air.

"I'm sure you'll survive! We're not even doing more than one performance! It's only once! I'm sure you can handle it for one night!" Ms. Harold argued.

"That, Ms. Harold, is one night too many. I can assure you of that." Derek said.

"A or D, Mr. Venturi." Ms. Harold said, moving her hands up and down like a scale. "It's your choice."

Derek scowled, crossing his arms. "This is blackmail." He mumbled.

"Oh, come on! Have a heart. It's the holidays!" Casey cried.

"Ms. McDonald, your grade depends on this, too." Ms. Harold said.

"WHAT?"

"You don't have to do the ten page essay on how the theatre has affected twelve different components of life and the we live it today and how it plays a role in your life." Ms. Harold said. "Everyone else does. This musical counts as your grade for this, and it is worth over fifty percent of your grade. Being unable to comply to the demands of the theatre could cost you many points and drop your GPA quite drastically."

Casey's jaw dropped.

"That's dirty, Ms. Harold." Casey said quietly.

"That's show business." Ms. Harold said. She clapped her hands together and smiled. "So, we have this settled?" She didn't even wait for a response. "Great! The kiss is in place!"

Casey and Derek watched as Ms. Harold walked away to talk to the set designers.

"Well, this is just wrong." Derek said after several minutes of standing in silence.

--

Casey burst into the Guidance Counsellor room causing Paul to jump, the doughnut in his hand went flying onto a stack of papers in his desk. He sighed as he picked it up and threw it in the trash can. He then turned his attention to Casey who was sitting silently in a chair trying to regulate her breathing.

After several minutes of silence, Paul clasped his hands together and cleared his throat.

"Didn't get the lead?" Paul questioned.

"No, I got the part." Casey said.

"Well, that's great!" Paul said.

"No! No, Paul, it's not!" Casey cried.

"But I thought you wanted the lead?" Paul asked, looking confused.

"I did. I mean, I do." Casey shook her head.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Derek's in the musical, that's the problem!" Casey explained.

"But...he was in the last musical." Paul pointed.

"He wasn't my opposite last time." Casey mumbled.

"Wait? Derek's got the male lead?" Paul asked. Casey pouted and nodded.

Her eyes widened when Paul burst out laughing.

"Paul!" Casey cried. "This isn't funny! This is catastrophic. If I thought Derek was going to mess up the last musical, it's nothing compared to what he's going to do to this one. Our characters are supposed to kiss!"

This statement only seemed to cause Paul to laugh harder.

"Paul!" Casey screeched.

Realizing what he was doing Paul immediately stopped laughing and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry, Casey." Paul said, trying not to crack a smile. "That is going to be extremely awkward, I'm sure."

"Well, yeah. It's Derek! How do you expect me to kiss Derek?" Casey asked.

"Well...I don't expect you to do anything." Paul said.

Casey opened her mouth, closed it and thought for a moment.

"Is this one of the things where I ask you to help me, you say no and then I realize that the answer is staring me straight in the face?" Casey asked.

Paul just shrugged.

Casey's shoulders slumped as she exhaled. "Do I just...not kiss him?"

"Well, I would think that solution fits nicely into the problem." Paul said.

Casey sat up. "You know what, you're right. It's only one performance. All I've got to do is put off the kiss during rehearsal and then duck it during the musical, too!" Casey said.

"That's a great idea." Paul said softly. "Or else, it's just a small kiss. It might not hurt..." Paul trailed off.

Casey stared at him blankly for a moment and then began to laugh.

"Oh, joke. You're funny. Good one, Paul." She chuckled as she got up. "Thanks, Paul."

--

Casey walked into Smelly Nellie's and unwrapped the scarf from around her neck. She was led to her table and she sat down. Looking around she saw Derek see her and send go to Sally. It was obvious that he was sending her that way he wouldn't have to serve her.

That, she found, was one of the only two things that he hated about his job. He hated serving her in any way and avoided it at all costs possible. The other thing was Sally. But that was completely different from the first reason and she knew it.

Sally seemed to be arguing with Derek -Casey liked Sally. She always tried to make Derek be nice to her. Sadly, even through his feelings for her he could deny being nice to Casey most of the time- but after a few moment she sighed, shook her head and began to walk towards Casey.

"Hey, Casey! What can I do for you?" Sally asked, walking up to the table she was sitting at.

"Mm, I'll have a cup of the Christmas Cocoa." Casey said.

"Oh, Christmas!" Sally said, quickly writing down the order. "That reminds me!"

"Of what?" Casey asked.

"Hold on." Sally held up a finger and hurried off.

A few minutes later Sally hurried back to the table, placing down the cup of hot chocolate and then handing her a small envelope.

"What's this?" Casey asked, taking the envelope.

"An invitation to my holiday party next week." Sally said. "It's next Friday. I figured since it's the last day before winter break and all. Plus it's right after the musical. Derek's coming so he can give you a ride." Sally explained.

"Ha. Derek being helpful." Casey glanced over to across the room where he was fixing things on the counter. "That'll be the day."

"Hey, Christmas time and all. Who knows. A miracle might happen and he may be nice to you. And get over his crush on me." Sally mumbled the last part to herself, but Casey still heard.

"You're one optimistic girl." Casey laughed.

"You always seem like one too." Sally said, and then shrugged. "For the most part."

"When it involves Derek, there is no room for optimism." Casey shook her head. "Don't worry, I'll probably just go with Emily and Kendra. They're invited, right?" Casey asked.

"Of course." Sally nodded.

"Okay, great." Casey said.

"Oh, well, I hope you do come. Good luck in the musical."

Casey thanked her and Sally went off to continue working.

She gently blew on her hot chocolate before taking a sip and then placing it down. She glanced around Smelly Nellie's. Almost everyone looked happy. She glanced over at Derek again. He was staring at Sally longingly as she had her back turned away from him. It tore at her slightly, the way he was looking at her. She didn't have anyone to look at her that way. Not anymore.

No, wait. She quickly decided that even before she and Max had broken off their year long relationship only a week before, he hadn't looked at her that way, either. All in all, she just wanted that look.

Can you ask Santa to get you that special look for Christmas?

She couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her-a topic she hated for her mind to wander to, but she just couldn't help it.

She would fall head over heels for a guy and it would just end up going down hill. She just didn't understand it.

Where was the guy that was much (that would be much better than a guy like Derek) to look at her like that?

x—x

Please tell me what you think. Dasey will be gradual, but it will happen, I promise. And things will get much more interesting!

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


	2. Of rehearsals and awkward positions

Like I said, this is going way into the New Year. I hope you don't mind an after Christmas Christmas story! Hope you guys had great holidays!

x—x

Casey leaned with her elbows on the counter absentmindedly twirling a spoon in her mug of cider.

"This is stupid." Derek said, walking in with the script to the play.

"Hey." Casey said. "Remember that someone in this room contributed greatly to the script and plot."

Derek scoffed. "No wonder I hate it." 

Casey sneered at him and then took a sip of her drink.

"Don't forget that we've got to get to the school in an hour for rehearsal." Casey said.

"Like I could forget. I mean, what kind of bull is that? Weekend rehearsal?" Derek rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Derek. It's only one performance, and we have a week to prepare." Casey said. "The musical won't even be an hour long. I know that you can memorize a couple lines and twelve songs."

"Doesn't mean I want to do it on the weekend." Derek said.

"You're so lazy." Casey said.

"Do you think it would be humanly possible to not stab at my character for a day?" Derek asked.

"You have character?" Casey mocked surprise. "You think you could not make fun of me or prank me for a day?"

"I'm sure I could." Derek said.

"Oh, really. Want to take me up on that?" Casey asked.

"You're on." Derek said, reaching out to shake her hand.

They nodded and went back to doing what they had been doing.

-Five minutes later-

Casey continued to stir her drink glancing over at Derek. She could see at least ten different things that she wanted to bug him about, from his hair, to his clothes, to the way his shoes were tied. She also wanted to point out that twitching his hand so much or someone might think he was on something.

Derek fidgeted in his seat trying to pretend that Casey wasn't glancing at him. He wanted to call her Spacey or say or do something to make her mad.

"You're so sloppy!" Casey finally cried.

"You're an unwanted freak!" Derek retaliated immediately.

"Yeah, that didn't work." Casey said.

"Nope." Derek said, getting up and leaving the room.

--

A little over an hour later Casey walked into the theatre room and Derek shuffled in after her.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" Ms. Harold hurried toward the two and clapped her hands together.

Derek looked a cross between startled and annoyed when she put her hand on both of their backs and pushed them forward, farther into the room.

"Okay, now that our leads are here," Ms. Harold spoke to the group of students in the room. "I feel the need to explain the musical a tad, although I hope that you've all taken a look at the script that Casey was kind enough to distribute."

"It starts off on a cold winter night. Jackie is walking through the streets from her apartment to the post office when she passes David. They don't speak, but manage to hold each other's gazes for a few moments. They know nothing of each other, and yet..."

-10 minutes later-

"And Jackie admits her true love for David, final song, cue romantic kiss, aaaaand curtain!" Ms Harold finished dramatically.

Someone in the group murmured something along the lines of '_And this is supposed to be less than an hour?'_

Casey looked at Ms. Harold and then to Derek who looked blank and as though he were about to drool.

"Derek." Casey said, reaching out and shaking his shoulder.

Derek blinked several times and managed to close his mouth.

"You've got to be kidding me." Derek said. "This is worse than the hip-hop pirates. I mean, at least then I was more in character. But this David dude. I am nothing like him! I would never be that mushy! Ever!"

"Well, you be will next Friday." Ms. Harold smiled.

Derek groaned and let his head lean back and hit the wall. He began to repeat the motion of slamming his head into the wall, but Casey grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into standing position.

"You're such a _baby_." Casey murmured.

"What was that Casey?" Derek cried out loudly. "What? _No_, I will not father your baby!"

Heads began to turn in there direction and Casey glared at him before elbow dig into his side.

"Hey!" Derek said, rubbing his side. "What happened to the whole 'peace-maker' Casey?" Derek asked.

"What are you talking about?" Casey asked smiling sweetly at him. "I didn't do anything."

"Sure." Derek sneered. "Saint Casey-thou hast never done wrong." He rolled his eyes.

--

Derek dropped Casey off at home before zooming off to meet his friends somewhere. Casey rolled her eyes as she watched him go before walking toward the house.

She was immediately met by the sound of Lizzie and Edwin debating about something. Marti ran to the top of the stairs to declare to both of them that they were both wrong and that she was Queen. This caused Casey to refrain from removing her jacket and instead go find her mother. She was in the kitchen.

"Mom, I'm going to Emily's." Casey said.

"You just got home. Aren't you tired?" Nora asked.

"Yeah, and that's exactly why I'm going to Emily's." Casey chuckled.

Nora nodded, understanding. "Oh, okay, just be home for dinner. George is making a pot roast."

Casey nodded.

"Hey, where's Derek?" Nora asked.

"You really expect me to know?" Casey shook her head before walking out of the kitchen and back out the front door.

Casey walked the familiar path to her best friends house. She noticed that Emily's parents car wasn't there, but Emily's (the car her parents had gotten her for her sixteenth birthday) was there. Reaching the front door she pushed it open as she had become accustomed to.

"Em?" She called out and got no answer.

She sighed and began up the stairs figuring Emily was in her room. She reached the bedroom door and turned the handle.

"Hey, Em, I thought we could-" 

Casey stopped talking when her eyes were met with the sight of two figures on the bed, quite without clothes, and quite in a position that Casey did not know possible.

"Oh. My. God. My eyes!" Casey cried.

She quickly spun around and exited the room, letting her back lean against the closed door as her hands covered her eyes.

A few moments later the door opened and Emily pulled Casey into the room and then closed the door again. Casey didn't remove her hands from her eyes.

"Jeez, Case. What did you think you were doing?" Emily asked.

"What was _I _doing? _I _ was coming over to visit my best friend. What were _you _doing?" Casey asked, but then quickly added, "Wait, never mind. We all know what you two were doing."

"Hey, every since he moved we barely get to see each other. We've got to take advantage of these visits." Emily said waving her hand at Sheldon.

"Oh, gross." Casey murmured. "I didn't even know you were doing this kind of thing. I mean, it's Sheldon."

"Yeah, thanks, Case." Sheldon said.

"No offense, Schlep."

"Casey, it's okay. We're decent. Uncover your eyes." Emily said.

"It doesn't matter if I do or don't. I'm blind now, anyway." Casey said, but still lowered her hands from her eyes. Several seconds after that she actually opened her eyes.

"I am irrevocably scarred and damaged." Casey said.

"Oh, come on. Like you've never been curious and snagged one of Derek's adult videos." Emily said.

Both Casey and Sheldon looked at her strangely.

"Oh, really? Was that just me... Well, um, anyway." Emily said, crossing her arms and bringing a finger to scratch her head.

"I think Emily means to just say sorry." Sheldon said.

Casey pinched the bridge of her nose and grimaced.

--

An hour later Casey walked into her home and into the kitchen sitting on one of the stools. She didn't even notice that Derek was there looking through the cabinets.

Derek observed Casey warily as she stared off into space.

"What's with that look?" Derek asked.

"Huh? What look?" Casey asked, looking at him, a strange, far off look in her eyes.

"That, 'Oh my God, my eyes' look you have plastered on your face. You look like you just watched your puppy die or you like, walked in on Nora and dad doing it." Derek said.

When Casey didn't say anything and stared absentmindedly at a place on the counter top Derek shrieked slightly.

"You walked in on them?" Derek asked. "I was praying they didn't _do _that."

Casey lightly shook her head. "No. Well, I mean yes. But not, not mom and George." _Thank God. _She added silently to herself.

"Well, then who?" Derek said, his horrified look now replaced with interest.

Casey murmured something that Derek didn't catch.

"What?" Derek asked.

"Emily and Sheldon." Casey sighed.

"The Schlep's in town? Why didn't he-what? Him and Emily?" Derek cried in shock. 

"Yep."

"Wow." Derek said. "I am so...proud of him!"

"What?" Casey cried.

"Schlep! He's actually getting some!" Derek chuckled. "Who'da thunk it?"

Casey stared at him with an open mouth.

"What?" Derek asked.

"You're disgusting." Casey said, shaking her head.

"What else is new?" Derek shrugged and exited the kitchen.

Casey dropped her head down against the counter and hit it several times.

x—x

Kind of a pointless chapter but fun to write! Hope you liked.

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


	3. Of cookies and feelings

This chapter is pretty pointless as well, and I'm extremely sorry for that. But if you will all bare with me, read and review, I will post the next chapter ASAP. Chapter four is finished and isn't as fluffy. It has more defining moments, actually. I like it, at least. Hehe. Okay, well enjoy!

x—x

"Casey, I think you have a problem." Noel said lightly. Emily and Kendra were both staring warily at her.

"What? Why would you say that?" Casey asked.

"Because that's the seventh cookie you've had." Emily said.

"They're so good!" Casey cried taking another bite. "I mean, how did I not _know _about these? Two for a dollar! And they're all _warm!_ Like movie theatre cookies!"

"It's like the spirit of Mrs. Claus has taken her over." Noel whispered to Emily. "I mean, look at her."

Not only was Casey double fisting cookies, but she also had on a red Santa hat with the white lining and puff ball.

"Hey, I heard that." Casey said. "There's nothing wrong with holiday spirit!"

"Yes, but there is with calories." Kendra said. "Casey, I beg of you to think what you're doing to yourself before you take another bite!"

Casey pulled her cookie from her mouth and looked at it.

"Damn it, Kendra." Casey said, shoving the cookie into Noel's hand. "You had to ruin it. Those are little round drops of heaven!"'

Kendra shrugged apologetically before placing her hand on Casey's back to lead her away.

"Don't you have rehearsal?" Noel asked as he and Emily walked with them.

"They changed it to after school again." Casey shrugged. "Derek hasn't been happy."

"Ha. Weekend rehearsal. Yesterday you had rehearsal before school, during lunch, and after school. Wouldn't think he'd be very happy." Kendra said.

"How's the topic of le' smooch going?" Noel inquired.

"It doesn't seem to be going anywhere." Casey shook her head. "We're dodging it during rehearsals, but it's such a big part of our grade."

"You'll find a way out of it. There's no way Derek would allow his lips on yours." Emily said.

"Hey, you make it sound like I'm some grotesque person." Casey pouted.

"You're in no way grotesque." Noel said immediately.

"Thanks Noel." Casey said giving Noel a smile that caused him to blush slightly.

"Come on, let's get you far away from the cookies." Kendra said.

Casey caught sight of Max laughing with his friends.

"He looks happy, doesn't he?" Casey asked softly, mostly to herself more than anyone else.

"Yeah, and he doesn't deserve to be." Kendra said, before pushing Casey farther away.

--

"Paul." Casey said, walking into the room and sitting down. "I am in slight emotional turmoil."

"Slight?" Paul questioned. Not that she looked like she even had a problem. She seemed perfectly fine. Just a bit pouty.

Paul voiced this observation, causing Casey to sigh.

"It's just, the breakup doesn't seem to have affected Max at all."

"Well, you've seemed pretty okay as well." Paul said.

"I have the right to be upset, though." Casey said.

"This is true. But you also have the right to be happy."

--

"Nice, rehearsal people. Great job. We're going to have a great show." Ms. Harold said as everyone began to pack up.

"Casey, Derek, you can't avoid the kiss forever." Ms. Harold said in a sing-song voice as she passed them.

Derek rolled his eyes as she passed and murmured, "Sure we can."

"Oh, and how?" Casey asked.

"I'll figure it out." Derek said, glancing at her as she put her script into her bag and pulled it onto her shoulder.

"Come on, I've got to get to work." Derek said and Casey nodded, following him out of the room.

Derek hated how _nice _Casey was. He could here her saying a chipper goodbye to people. He could almost see her smile as she waved at them telling them 'good job'. He continued to walk in front of her.

They went outside and got into the car.

"Hey, don't take me home, I want to go to Smelly Nellie's." Casey said as she buckled herself in.

"Oh no." Derek said, shaking his head. "I wake up, you're there. I go to school, you're there. I go to those stupid rehearsals, and you're there, _and_ I have to interact with you ninety-eight percent of the time. I go home, you're there. For one day, I would like to go to work, and _have you not be there."_

"You make me sound like the plague." Casey said.

"Instead of the Bubonic, you're the Caseyonic." Derek mumbled. "Probably spreading among vermin, too."

Casey blinked at him several times. "I'm pretty sure you just insulted me, but I'm trying to process that you know anything about the Bubonic plague."

"Oh, well someone mentioned it to me, and it sounded too much like my situation with you to not look it up." Derek retorted.

"You're humor kills me." Casey deadpanned.

"If only." Derek mumbled to himself before pulling out of the parking lot.

When Derek stopped at the house instead of Smelly Nellie's Casey rolled her eyes but got out of the car without complaint.

She shook her head again as she watched him zoom away immediately.

She glanced over at Emily's. Casey didn't dare go over there when she knew that Sheldon was still in town. She valued what sanity she had left over from the day.

--

Derek was unhappy.

The rehearsals were killing him, and he had no idea what to do about the kiss. The fact that it both disgusted and excited some strange part of him made it worse. Undoubtedly when he got home he would be bombarded with more Casey drama for taking her home instead of Smelly Nellie's. An insane nine year old with a crazed insistence for a sundae flicked a spoonful of whipped cream at his head when it didn't have a cherry on it. And worst of it all, it was Sally's day off and yet she was still there, in a booth, on the phone with some guy who sounded very much like a new boyfriend.

Derek was _very _unhappy.

And he hated how he knew when he got home, Casey would be the only one to ask what was wrong.

x—x

Yeah, sorry. It's short and pointless. But I really need to add some in between fluff. I'm going to work harder, I promise. Stay with me! Hope it was somewhat enjoyable.

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


	4. Of shopping and discoveries

This actually started out as chapter 2 but then someone made a comment about rehearsals, something I wasn't going to include at all, but then decided, what the heck. So I made things more drawn out. Enjoy!

x—x

"God, why can't there be magnificent sales _before _Christmas?" Casey asked, fingering a rack of dresses.

"I know!" Emily said.

"What does it matter?" Kendra asked. "Shopping is shopping." She pulled a dress off of the rack and held it to her body. "What do you think?"

Casey sighed. "Looks great. But we shouldn't even be here. We're supposed to be shopping for _others _not ourselves."

"Hmmph. This might not be for me. This is could be a gift that I am buying Emily...that I just might happen to borrow. A lot." Kendra mumbled.

"Hey, as long as I get some time with it, I am a-okay with that plan." Emily said.

Caseyrolled her eyes, chuckling softly at her friend's antics.

"Casey, hon, stop fingering that dress. I told you already, blue is _not_ your color." Kendra said.

Casey rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away from the rack. "Come on, let's go to another store."

Casey and Emily started turning.

"Hold on!" Kendra said, pulling the dress she had been looking it back off the rack. "I'm gonna go buy this...erm... _Emily's_ present." Kendra said lamely before grinning and heading toward one of the checkout counter.

"What do you think I should get Derek for Christmas?" Emily turned to Casey.

Casey scoffed. "How about a big bag of nothing."

"What? You're not going to get him anything?" Emily asked.

"Really, tell me why I would." Casey said.

"Because you're Casey, goody-good who loves everyone and gives with all her heart." Emily said dramatically.

Casey rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Derek doesn't deserve anything from me. He gets everything I want anyway. Why should I give him any more?" 

Emily shrugged. "I guess I can understand that."

"So don't waste your money on him." Casey said, going back to look at other clothes on the rack they were standing near. "Besides, he technically doesn't even celebrate Christmas. Well, at least he won't acknowledge it."

"What?" Emily asked.

"He celebrates 'Derekus'." Casey said disdainfully.

"_Derekus?"_ Emily asked.

"Yep." Casey nodded.

"Jeez." Emily breathed. "He really is full of himself."

"Mmhmm." Casey said.

"Okay, I'm done. Onward to the next store." Kendra said, walking toward them with a bag in her hand.

--

"Okay, can we just accept it now?" Kendra asked.

"Accept what?" Emily asked.

"Accept that we are getting exactly zip for others and need to succumb to our need to try on these clothes." Kendra said.

"I agree!" Emily said.

"No, no, no." Casey said. "We need to get presents for others!"

Kendra and Emily looked at each other for a moment before Kendra turned and pulled a dress off of the rack.

"Oh, look how pretty this is." Kendra said, admiring the dress.

"God, that would look so good on Casey." Emily said.

"And it's not even blue!" Kendra observed,

They could see Casey begin to break as she looked at the dress.

"Oh, but Casey doesn't want to shop for herself today." Emily shrugged. "I guess you should put it back."

"I guess you're right." Kendra said, turning to put the dress back.

"Alright, alright!" Casey snapped, lunging for the dress. "But you guys are getting things too!"

Kendra and Emily looked at her strangely.

"Oh, yeah, because we were _so_ planning on saying 'No, Casey. We can't. I'm putting my foot down-no shopping in this store full of awesome clothing for me!'" Emily shook her head.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Do you want me to agree with you or not?" Casey asked.

"Go. Go try it on!" Kendra said.

"Fine, fine!" Casey said, heading into the direction of the dressing rooms.

Soon, all three girls were heading into the dressing rooms, arms filled with dresses.

"You guys, I love this one. I need your opinions." Emily called from her stall.

They all exited their stalls to view the dress Emily was wearing.

"Oh my God, that one was made for you." Casey said.

"You should get it and wear it to Sally's Christmas party." Kendra suggested.

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Emily said. "That's what we should all do. Buy dresses for Sally's Christmas party."

"Well, then I say you buy that dress, but find another for the party." Casey suggested. "It's not really holiday party material."

The girls nodded in agreement and they went back to search for the right dresses.

After forty five minutes Casey was sitting in a chair in the dressing room, the strapless red silk dress she had bought in the bag she was holding. Both Kendra and Emily were still trying on dresses.

She blew at a piece of hair hanging in her face until she almost went cross-eyed, so she got up and began walking around, pacing back and forth in front of the dressing room exit.

Emily walked out of her stall in a light purple party dress.

"So, what do you think?" Emily asked.

Casey looked at her best friend, but her eyes almost immediately traveled past her and through the exit into the store. What she saw caused her jaw to drop.

"Oh my God." Casey breathed.

"Okay, I know I look good, but come on. Your making me blush." Emily said, flicking her wrist.

Casey hurried past Emily and looked through the entryway of the dressing room.

"No, no. Oh my God as in look over there." Casey said, giving a quick nod in a direction before turning to her side and looking the other way.

Emily stepped out to where Casey was standing and peered out of the dressing rooms curiously.

Emily gasped and whipped around to look at Casey. "No!" She said.

Casey bit her lip and nodded.

The two friends peeked around the corner from the dressing room to the store.

"Okay, so what do you guys-hey, how come no one's over here to observe how awesome I look in this dress?" Kendra asked.

"Shh!" Casey said.

Emily turned her head and motioned for Kendra to come and look before turning back to peer around the corner.

Kendra walked up to her friends and looked and gasped as well, one of her hands flew to cover her mouth.

"No way." Kendra said.

"Yes way." Emily said.

"He never did that with Casey." Kendra said, cocking her head to the side.

The three friends watched as Max held onto some blond girl who had her back toward them so they couldn't see who it was. They were kissing profusely, the girl had her arms wrapped around his neck and his arms were fully around her waist, slightly pulling her from the ground.

"Is this why you guys-"

"No!" Casey said.

"Are you sure-"

"Yes!" Casey snapped. "I know why we broke up. If it was because of another girl, he would have had the decency to tell me. We were just no longer compatible, and a separation was necessary so that our breakup was without resentment."

"Well, then he sure does bounce back quick." Kendra murmured. "It's been like, a week after a years worth of relationship."

"That's men for you." Emily said.

"God, someone needs to walk past them and say get a room." Kendra said.

"Can we please stop staring-oh excuse me, spying on them?" Casey asked.

"Who is she?" Emily asked. "I've got to say, my Doctor Em skills did not pick up on this. Not even remotely."

"If only he would just twist her around or something." Kendra said. "Come on, Max. Push her up against that wall or something."

"Hello! Turn away!" Casey said.

Kendra and Emily looked at her but then turned away. Then they realized that Casey had yet to move.

"Yeah, okay. Someone please remove me from this spot. I can't...seem...to stop." Casey said.

Emily quickly grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back into the dressing room.

"Thanks." Casey said.

They were all silent for a moment, so Kendra spoke.

"Okay, really. What about this dress?"

For the first time since she had exited her stall, Emily and Casey acknowledged the pink dress she was wearing.

"It's perfect." Emily said truthfully.

"It really is." Casey agreed, trying not to think about how Max was not far, with another girl. It was tearing her apart, but she didn't want to freak out. She had just gotten over her crying bout, which Derek had given her heat for the entire time.

"Okay, well that's that. Now we've all got dresses for Sally's Christmas party.

The girls gathered their dresses and exited the dressing room. Max and the girl were no longer there.

At the counter Casey grabbed a box of Christmas cards and put it with her dress to buy.

When they all arrived back at Casey's house, Kendra and Emily collapsed on the couch.

"God, shopping really wiped you out." Kendra said. "It's like, exercise."

"Six hours." Emily groaned.

After a moment of silence Casey spoke.

"How about a Christmas movie marathon?" Casey suggested.

Kendra and Emily looked at each other.

"Why not?" Emily shrugged.

"Great!" Casey smiled. "I separated all of the holiday movies from the rest."

Her friends shook their heads at her strange organization as she pulled out a large stack of DVDs from a cabinet in the living room and stumbled back to her friends.

Casey situated herself on the floor in front of the couch with the stack of movies and began to look through them.

"Okay, we have _It's a Wonderful Life, Christmas with the Kranks-"_

Derek walked into the room and made a point to go immediately toward Casey and pick at the movies in front of her.

"Are you serious?" Derek asked, looking at the pile. He picked up a DVD and held it up. "_The Barbie Nutcracker?_ This is either a porno about a kinky blond or an actual movie about Barbie, in which case, I must go talk to Nora about getting you some help." Derek said. He observed the cover for a second.

"Yeah, I need to go find Nora." Derek said, dropping the movie into Casey's lap.

"Shut up, Derek." Casey said, swatting at his ankle.

"You guys really need to find something better to do." Derek said, shaking his head.

"What? Christmas is in a week. What's wrong with watching some nice holiday movies?" Casey asked.

"I wasn't talking to you, Spacey." Derek said. "I was talking to Kendra and Emily in reference to them needing to find something better to do than hang out with you."

Casey sneered at him before returning to the stack of movies.

"I, for one like hanging out with Casey." Kendra said. "I've definitely gained back the brain cells I lost while dating you and then some." She smirked at him.

Derek scowled and flicked a piece of hair on the top of Casey's head before stalking out of the room.

--

Later, Casey sat at her desk with a fine tip marker, a list of names, and the Christmas cards she had gotten earlier.

She easily filled out a handful of cards. Lizzie, Edwin, Marti, Emily, Kendra, Sam, Ralph, Sheldon, Sally, Noel. But she stopped at Derek and Max's names. She tapped the end of her pen on the paper, contemplating whether to fill out the two cards.

Derek was Derek. Why she should give him even any acknowledgment of the wonderful time of year seemed beyond her. Even the good-doer in her didn't really think he deserved a card. Yeah, they had momentarily begun to get along, but that had long passed.

And Max... Max was another story. They were over and done. He had been one of the nicest guys she had ever known, and yet...something was wrong. She and Sam had been able to retain a very nice friendship. One where they could be comfortable around each other. It hadn't become that way with her and Max. She had tried, but it just wasn't happening. And then there was the incident from earlier. It was hard for her to think she and Max had broken up only a week earlier and he already had another girl. Part of her was angry and disgusted, but the other part said that he had the right to find someone else.

Casey filled out only one of the cards, slipped it into an envelope and then she wrote Max's name on it.

Sighing she stacked up the cards on her desk and put everything else away. She sat up and stretched before leaving her room to go downstairs and grab a bottle of water.

When Casey got back to her room with the water -and two cookies that Marti had just baked with her mother, she found someone was already there.

"Derek, what are you doing?" Casey asked, watching Derek standing near her desk.

She quickly noticed that he was going through the stack of Christmas cards.

"Seriously?" Derek asked. "Max gets a Christmas card and I don't?"

"What do you care?" Casey asked, taking a bite out of one of the cookies as she threw the water bottle onto her bed. "And can you stay out of my stuff?"

Derek seemed to ignore her. "You're seriously gonna give you're ex a Christmas card?"

"Sam's got a card in there." Casey pointed out.

"Sam doesn't count." 

"Why not?"

"Because you and Sam are actually friends!" Derek said.

"Me and Max are-" 

"You and Max are not friends. Max avoids you like the plague." Derek said.

"That is really cold, Derek." Casey shook her head.

"You guys are true exes, Case. You don't give your jerk ex boyfriend any form of acknowledgment." Derek said.

"Derek, you don't know if Max is a jerk. You don't even know why we broke up, so why don't you stay out of it?" Casey asked.

"Let me guess. You guys really liked each other, but one of you felt as though your compatibility had lowered and that it would be best for both of your happiness to separate before separation became a blessing and not a sadness." Derek said sarcastically.

Casey looked at him in confusion. "How did you- you know what, never mind. None of your business anyway." Casey said, shaking her head.

Derek rolled his eyes as Casey pointed toward the door, motioning for him to get out.

Derek walked to the door, but turned around when he was on the other side, Casey ready to close the door.

"I still can't believe he gets a card and I don't."

Casey slammed the door inches from his face.

x—x

YAY! I am very happy with this chapter. I HOPE you guys will be nice to me and give me bunches of reviews! They make chapters come quicker! Love, love, love all of you readers and reviewers!

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


	5. Of parties and mistletoe

This chapter holds some stuff, though a lot of you are so kind, telling me that the fluff is good. Thank you to everyone who is reviewing! Knowing what you guys think makes me happy! Enjoy, guys!

.I own nothing.

x—x

"So..." Paul said slowly, "You saw Max with a mystery girl and Derek freaked out over the Christmas cards, and mysteriously seemed to know why you and Max had broken up."

"Yeah." Casey shook her head. "I don't understand it, either."

Paul picked up his coffee, took a sip and put it back down. He took a deep breath. "Do you think that there are any connectible dots in the situation?" Paul suggested.

"No, why would there be? They are all just really annoying situations." Casey shrugged.

Paul took another deep breath. "I guess you could look at it that way, but-"

"Paul, I have to go to the Junior Christmas party. I just needed to vent." Casey got up. "Can you believe that for once I don't actually need to figure anything out?"

"Not even about the mystery girl?" Paul asked.

Casey faltered at the door. "No. Because if she were the reason we had broken up, I trust that he would have told me that."

Casey gave a small nod before exiting the room.

Paul stared at the closed for a moment before letting his head hit the desk and mumbling something about not being a teenage girl for a million dollars...

--

"You'd think they'd make it somewhat original, right?" Emily asked with her arms crossed.

Casey, Kendra, and Emily stared out over the room where their fellow classmates were schmoozing. The place was decorated in jolly tinsel of red and gold and sparkly lights lined everything including the fake plants at each corner. The lights even wrapped around the benches that were set up around the room. A table was set up with a punch bowl and rows of napkins and holiday themed cookies. A _Merry-Happy-Christmahanziquanikah _soundtrack was playing in the background. _Oh goody. _There was even a decorated tree with fake, empty presents under it.

"I say thank God." Casey said.

"Why?" Kendra asked.

"There's no mistletoe." Casey said.

Both Kendra and Emily made and 'ah' agreement sound and nodded their heads.

"Mistletoe is the creation of the Devil." Emily said.

Casey sighed and pressed her palms down against her pleated skirt, flattening it out. She glanced around and saw Max. He still looked happy, but saw no blond anywhere around him. A pang of jealousy passed through her for a moment, but she quickly forced herself to squash it. _If she were the reason we had broken up, I trust that he would have told me that. _Casey reminded herself.

"I'm going to go see what the punch is like." Casey said. "Want any?"

Her friends declined and she walked to the other side of the room where the refreshment table was set up.

"What do you think of everything?" Emily turned to see Noel had come up.

"Of what?"

"The decorations." Noel said.

"Are you on the decorating committee, or something?" Kendra asked.

"Actually, yeah." Noel chuckled.

Kendra blushed slightly and excused herself to go get some punch with Casey.

"It's alright." Emily said. "Casey's already pointed out the grace of no mistletoe."

Noel smiled, looking over at Casey. "Yeah, we had some that I wanted to use, but the rest of the committee nixed the idea." He ran his hand over his pocket before pushing his hand into it.

"Probably for the best." Emily said.

Noel nodded and watched as Casey and Kendra made their way back toward them.

"Hey, Noel!" Casey smiled.

"Hi."

"Oh, I've got your Christmas cards." Casey said, remembering the stack of cards that were rubber-banded together in her bag.

She handed her cup of punch to Noel for him to hold and searched through her bag for a moment before pulling out the envelopes with their names on it.

"Here you go." Casey said, trading the envelope for her punch and then handing Emily and Kendra's theirs.

"And here's Sheldon's, Em." Casey said, giving another card.

"Thanks Casey." Noel said.

Casey smiled. "That reminds me, I've got a couple more cards to give out."

Casey nodded at her friends before walking away with the cards.

Sam was with Derek, so she walked up to him with a smiling face, her back to Derek.

"Happy Holidays, Sam." Casey said, giving him the card.

"Thanks, Case!" Sam said, leaning in to give her a quick hug.

Casey began to move away but Derek grabbed her wrist.

"What?" Casey asked.

Derek narrowed his eyes at her and then looked behind her. Casey turned her head and followed his gaze. He was looking at Max. Casey turned back and looked at Derek. He let go of her wrist.

"Never mind." He said, turning away from her.

Casey stared at the back of his head before scoffing and walking away.

When she was far enough away she took a deep breath before making her way to Max.

"Hey." She said when she reached him.

"Oh, hey Casey." Max said.

"Um, here." Casey said pushing the card toward him. "Happy Holidays."

"Oh, thanks, Case." Max said, taking the card. "You too."

Casey gave a weak smile and stood there for several seconds in an awkward silence.

"Well, I'll talk to you later, then." Casey said. Max nodded and then Casey shuffled away, trying not to blush as she made her way back toward her friends.

"You gave Max a Christmas card?" Emily asked.

"Even after, you know?" Kendra asked, talking about what they had seen the day before.

"I'm being civil." Casey shrugged.

"You didn't give Derek a card, though, right?" Emily asked bluntly.

"Hey, don't lecture me. Derek did that yesterday." Casey said, holding up both of her hands in surrender.

"Fine, fine." Emily said.

Casey sighed and Noel moved and put his hand on the small of her back.

"Derek is a jerk to you ninety-nine point nine percent of the time." He said.

Casey nodded. "See? Noel understands."

Emily playfully rolled her eyes.

"How do you feel about some cookies?" Emily asked Kendra.

"Um. But all the sugar..." Kendra said.

"Give me a break. You can handle a few cookies." Emily shook her head, dragging Kendra toward the table of cookies.

Casey chuckled as she watched Emily wave a cookie in front of Kendra's face.

"Pretty boring in here." Noel said.

"Yeah, I guess." Casey shrugged, and they began to walk slowly.

"But it could be worse." Casey pointed out.

"True, true." Noel agreed. "But there could be better music, too."

Casey laughed. "I like Christmas music. I have several death threats over my head for playing it nonstop at home."

Noel stopped walking and laughed. Casey stopped and laughed with him for several seconds until their laughter was interrupted.

"Hey, Casey and Noel are under mistletoe!" A voice called out.

Casey's looked above to see the tiny plant and then her head snapped to see where the voice had come from. Low and behold, Derek was snickering, not too far away.

Seeing the terror in Casey's features, Noel quickly spoke.

"It's a stupid tradition. We don't have to do it."

Casey looked relieved. She knew about Noels crush on her. She had been scarily oblivious until Kendra had brought it to her attention. And now that she knew she didn't want even the slightest thing to lead him on. She just didn't feel that way about him.

"Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss. Kiss." Someone began to chant and many in the room quickly followed suit.

Casey bit her lip, trying not to grimace in front of Noel, knowing that she wasn't getting out of it as easy as she had hoped.

"It is tradition." Casey managed to say.

Noel smiled and began to lean in.

"Well, looks like we were wrong about the mistletoe." Kendra said, grimacing as she watched her friends discomfort as she neared Noel until their lips met in a chaste kiss.

"Kendra," Emily said, "That wasn't there five minutes ago."

Kendra gave a small gasp. "Hey, it wasn't!"

"And Noel is on the decorating committee." Kendra stated more than asked.

"Yep." Emily said swiftly. "And said he wanted to use mistletoe, but they said no."

"Damn. Boy moves quick." Kendra gave a low whistle.

x—x

Things will become much more defined with the next chapters, because the play and Sally's Christmas party is coming up. Yay! Hope you enjoyed. Please tell me what you think!

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


	6. Of performances and truths

After having absolutely no time to work on this, I must say that I am proud with the outcome. It's pretty nice in length, I think. Actually, while I was writing it, I kept thinking, "Geez, is this chapter ever going to end?" Hehe. Well, I had fun writing this one, so I hope you all enjoy! And don't forget to drop a review on your way out, folks!

.I own nothing.

x—x

"God, I actually forgot how much I hated this." Derek growled as people bustled around him, setting up the final touches before the opening of the show.

"It's a one night, and there's no scally-wagging or rapping." Casey rolled her eyes as she looked into a mirror clasped a small string of pearls around her neck. "And you don't look dirty. Well, you don't look dirtier than usual. That's a plus."

"Not the actual musical, Space Case. That didn't turn out to be so bad. I meant the stage makeup." He continued to observe himself in the mirror. "I feel like a chick."

"Embrace it, Dereka." Casey mocked. "At least you don't have to wear guyliner like last time."

"Bite me." Derek murmured.

Casey rolled her eyes before grabbing her script and looking it over.

"Oh my, God." Derek said. "You know it by heart, already. Jackie meets David, David swoons, Jackie swoons, there's some big misunderstanding in the middle, cue dramatic music and sadness, blah, blah, blah. David gets all mushy, saves Jackie from getting hit by a car -which I still don't get. I mean, the car is a cardboard box. People are going to_ know_ that it's a cardboard box. It's pretty stupid.- Jackie professes her love for David. David lives. All is well, kiss kiss, goodnight."

Casey narrowed her eyes at him and sneered. "Sans the 'kiss kiss' and I guess you've got it."

"Exactly." Derek nodded. "So put down the script and please explain to me again why I needed this God forsaken goo caked on my skin?"

--

"Jackie!" Derek called walking onto the stage. "Jackie, wait!"

"No, David. Leave me alone." Casey said. She was walking across the opposite side of the stage, which looked like a street.

Suddenly a bright light flashed, like a head light and a cardboard "car" appeared on stage, heading toward Casey.

"Jackie!" Derek cried before running and jumping, pushing Casey out of the way so that the 'car' collided with him causing him to fall over.

"Oh my, God." Casey cried, getting up and running over to Derek. "No, no, no!" Casey's eyes welled up with tears as she knelt next to a motionless Derek.

"You can't do this, David." Casey said. "That was supposed to be me. Supposed to be me. Don't do this, David." Casey laid her head on his chest and began to sob. Casey lifted her head and began to sing.

"I wandered through each day/Surrounded by each day's light/Wondering why I couldn't see/Empty and lost without any sight/Until the day that you found me/I started living/Now I can't stop/I need you here with me/To guide me through, tonight." She cut off with a small sob, a tear running down her cheek.

"Oh, David." She said, once more placing her head on his chest. "I love you." She said, finally.

While she sobbed a spotlight appeared over them causing Casey too look up. "What the..." She murmured, but then Derek stirred under her arms.

Casey gasped as she watched Derek open his eyes. "David!"

Derek blinked up at her. "Casey." He breathed lightly.

Casey's eyes widened slightly, and then Derek's did, too, but his voice had been too soft for the crowd to hear it anyway.

"Jackie." Derek corrected himself, speaking louder.

"Oh, David." Casey said, shifting and moving up so that she could help Derek up into a standing position as he pretended to limp. She quickly let herself become embraced in his arms and he tensed up, hating that he had to hug, and then she pulled back and looked at him.

"I thought you were dead." She whispered, letting the back of her hand graze his cheek lightly.

"Did you mean what you said?" Derek asked, looking deep into her eyes. Casey felt slightly unnerved under his gaze and the strange beating inside of her chest as he took her hand into his own.

"Did I mean what?" Casey breathed.

"That you love me?" Derek asked.

Casey turned her eyes away from him, looking down. Slowly, she looked up at him. "Of course." She said.

Derek continued to stare into her eyes. "I love you, too."

This was where they were supposed to kiss; what they had been avoiding.

But strangely, the way Derek was looking at her made Casey's knees feel weak. Derek began to move his head toward her, and for a moment, she actually thought about leaning in so that her lips would meet his. But she didn't, and Derek turned his head so that he kissed near the corner of the left side of her right side of her mouth so that it was close to a kiss, but really wasn't.

The light began to dim and the curtains drew to a close as the audience on the other side roared with applause. Casey detatched herself from Derek while the other cast members filed onto the dark stage and lined up next to each other. Casey nervously looked over at Derek who was looking at her. The curtain opened again and Noel, who had moved to stand next to her, grabbed hold of her hand. Remembering the curtain call, Casey quickly grabbed a hold of Derek's hand. When they were facing the crowd, who were still screaming and applauding, they all bowed, once then twice before everyone but Casey and Derek backed up leaving the two to bow themselves before finally releasing each other's hands and exiting from the stage with everyone else.

Casey hurried away, past the dressing rooms, rubbing her hands on her pants because they were all clammy.

"Casey!" She heard her name called. She looked up to see Kendra and Emily hurrying toward her. She took a deep breath and immediately began to smile as she made her way to her friends.

"Oh my, God!" Kendra squealed. "That was great."

"Derek did nicely on dodging the kiss." Emily acknowledged.

"Thank God for that. He actually managed to do something right." Casey smiled. "I don't even think Ms. Harold will care."

"Great!" Kendra said, clapping her hands together giddily.

"And I was totally bawling at the end." Emily said, to which Kendra nodded.

"It was a little cheesy and cliché." Casey shrugged, but not trying to hide her grin.

"But heart wrenching!" Emily cried.

"Yeah. You and Derek have like, _a lot _of chemistry." Kendra nodded.

"You guys bring the dresses so we don't have to stop anywhere?" Casey asked, completely ignoring what Kendra had just said, thinking back to the feeling she had when on stage.

"Yeah, they're in the car, I'll go get them." Kendra said, giving her another quick hug before shuffling away.

"How are you, Case?" Emily asked.

"I'm fine. Just glad everything worked out." Casey smiled.

A burst of giggles came from somewhere near them, and they saw a group of girl surrounding Derek.

"Wow, Derek, you're such a good actor." One of the girls said.

"Such a great voice."

"So strong." Another one said, stroking his arm.

"You were so sensitive up there."

Emily shook her head at them while Casey found herself glaring at the girls.

"And that's why Derek's ego is so big." Emily said.

Emily's voice shook her from what she was doing and she quickly stopped looking at the girls surrounding Derek.

"Hey, a year or two back and you would have been bimbo number one over their." Casey laughed.

Emily gasped in mock resent and gave Casey a light elbow in the side.

"There's Kendra." Casey said, pointing to the petite blond coming toward them with the three dresses draped over her arms. "Let's all go change in the dressing rooms behind the stage. Lots of mirrors, makeup and hair supplies."

Twenty minutes later they emerged in the dresses they had bought, ready to go.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Casey asked as they walked toward Kendra's car. "I mean, the dress seemed nice at the mall, but now..." She pressed her hands down against the skirt.

"Case, you look stunning, so stop worrying about it." Emily said.

"Yeah, Casey. You look amazing." Kendra said, running her hand over one of her wispy curls.

Feeling reassured she got into the car with her friends, and they drove away from the school parking lot and headed toward Sally's house.

When they got there the party had already been going on for an hour, and there were cars parked up all along the street, and people overflowing on the lawn, and through the house.

They found a place to park and got out of the car and headed toward the party. When they entered the house, Sally was near the door in a sleek black dress.

"Casey! Emily, Kendra, I'm so glad you guys made it!" She said said, giving them each quick hugs and bright smiles.

"Oh, and Casey, you did so great in the musical! It was amazing!" Sally said, taking hold of Casey's hands. "Who knew you and Derek would have so much chemistry! It's almost funny, really."

Casey bit back a grimace and forced a giggle. "Well, I guess we're both just good actors."

"Well, it was really great." Sally said again. "Well, I should go back and play the good hostess." Sally said. "Have fun you guys!"

Once Sally disappeared Kendra drug Emily and Casey deeper into the party. But before any of them could really even do anything, Noel appeared.

"Hey, you guys!" He smiled.

"Hey, Noel." Casey smiled back.

"You guys having fun?" He asked.

"Well, we just got here." Emily shrugged.

"Oh, yeah, cool. Look, Case, can I talk to you for a minute?" Noel asked.

Casey quickly glanced at her friends, who had widened their eyes, all knowing what was about to happen.

"Um, yeah." Casey said, dreading what she was about to have to do. "Sure."

Noel gave a parting smile to Emily and Kendra before he and Casey walked toward a less crowded part of the party.

"Well, um." Noel said, awkwardly. "You, um, did really great in the musical." Noel praised.

"Thank you." Casey said, glancing around, trying to figure out the easiest way to get out once she let him down.

"Look, Casey, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a while now." Noel said, obviously nervous.

Casey gave him a weak smile before he went on.

"I kind of, well, like you. A lot. Have for a while now." Noel said rather quickly, as if pushing himself to say it all before he lost the nerve.

Casey took a deep breath, having known the words were coming. She stood in front of him silently for a moment before speaking.

"Noel, you're a really sweet guy, but..." Casey trailed off. She really didn't want to hurt him.

Noel looked at his feet and shuffled them awkwardly.

"But you don't like me in that way." He finished for her.

"I'm really sorry, Noel." Casey said honestly. "I don't want this to make stuff weird between us."

"I know, Case. It won't." Noel assured her.

Casey leaned in to give him a hug. When she released, Noel began to walk away, so she turned.

"Casey?" She heard Noel call her name. She turned around.

"Yeah?" She asked.

Noel looked her square in the eyes. "You look beautiful tonight, Case."

Casey gave him a sad smile before turning and walking away, into the crowd.

Not too far away she found Kendra and Emily waiting with apologetic looks plastered on their faces.

"We're sorry we couldn't save you." Emily said.

Casey shrugged. "It had to happen at some point. I mean, him setting up the kiss the other day-"

"Pretty desperate." Emily said and Casey nodded.

"Poor boy." Kendra shook her head.

"I let him down as easy as I could." Casey said.

"How'd he take it?" Emily asked.

"He didn't like, burst into tears or something, did he?" Kendra asked, placing a hand on her chest.

"No." Casey shook her head. "He said things wouldn't be weird between us and then said I looked beautiful.

Her friends eyebrows shot up. "Well, at least that's not bad." Emily shrugged.

"Yeah, but still pretty stressful." Casey said. "I'm going to go look for the bathroom. I'll be back." Casey parted from her friends and started wandering through the crowd. After a few minutes she stopped and asked someone if they knew where the bathroom is. They pointed in a direction and she thanked them and wandered in that direction.

She walked through a doorway that led to a hall and began to walk down it. But then she stopped when she heard something in one of the rooms that lined the hall. The door was slightly ajar, so Casey leaned forward and peeked through the small gap.

Then Casey gasped and ducked, flattening herself against the wall so the couple inside wouldn't see her.

"Max." She heard Sally's voice coo. "This has been going on for three months! You and Casey are finally broken up. Can't we stop sneaking around?"

"But I kind of like it." Max said.

Casey's stomach dropped and she felt repulsed when she heard Sally give an extremely girly giggle. She took a deep breath and slowly peeked around the corner. She caught sight of Max holding Sally, kissing her. The same way, she now realized, she had seen them at the mall. She didn't even notice someone was behind her until they spoke.

"Shit." She heard someone murmur and she quickly spun around to see Derek.

He was looking at her with wide eyes. It was obvious he had seen what was going on in the next room.

"Casey, come on." Derek whispered, leaning forward to grab her arm.

Casey stood with her feet fixed to the floor while Derek pulled at her arm.

"Come on!" Derek said loudly.

They heard a noise come from inside the room, and seconds later Casey was standing face to face with Max who released a colorful four letter word before Sally appeared at his side. She immediately paled when she saw Casey and Derek.

When Derek pulled at her arm again, Casey willingly let him drag her from the spot, tearing her eyes from Sally and Max. She was in too much shock to say or do anything. So she let Derek drag her through the crowded rooms. He even managed to get her past Kendra and Emily who tried to stop them on their way out.

She let him drag her all the way to where Derek has parked The Prince where he finally let go of her arm to unlock the car. They both climbed in silently, and Derek turned the ignition and pulled away from Sally's house.

Neither of them said a word while they drove on for five minutes. Not liking the silence Derek tried to turn on the radio, but Casey's hand immediately came out to turn it off again.

"You knew, didn't you? That's why you were so weird whenever the subject of him came up." Casey spoke for the first time, minutes later. "He had been talking about it, right?"

Casey looked at him, but Derek kept his eyes focused on the road and said absolutely nothing.

Casey chuckled bitterly as she leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms. "Yeah." She mumbled before turning her gaze back to the window.

Derek glanced at her while she was staring out the window and then turned back to the road, sadly.

--

When Casey and Derek entered the house and passed the living room to up the stairs they saw Nora and George standing by a new, unadorned Christmas tree in the corner of the room.

"What do you guys think?" George smiled.

Derek grunted and Casey just stared.

"Well, how was the party?" Nora asked.

"Super." Derek drawled as Casey turned and began to walk up the stairs. Derek followed as Nora and George exchanged worried looks.

Derek watched as Casey walked straight into her bedroom, closing it noiselessly. He sighed before opening the door to his bedroom. He just wanted to collapse on his bed.

Too bad someone was already on it.

"Edwin, get out of my room." Derek said.

"Geez, bro." Edwin said, startled. "What are you doing back so early?" He nervously looked at the clock. "It's only eleven."

"Just because I'm out doesn't mean you get to hang out in my room, you freak." Derek said, mentally reminding himself to get a lock put on his door, but then realizing that his dad would never let that happen.

"Sorry, D." Edwin said, but didn't make any move to leave. "What's up? You seem down."

"Nothing, now get out." Derek said.

Edwin rolled his eyes but got up.

"Sheesh. You really should learn how to get in touch with your emotions." Edwin said, and received a swift smack to the head as he passed Derek before leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Derek let out a groan before going beginning to pull off his clothes, haphazardly throwing them in random places on the ground. Once he had pulled on some pajamas he left the room and headed toward the bathroom.

Casey was there, hair already pulled up, make-up wiped away. Instead of the red dress she had on her long pajama pants and t-shirt. She didn't even glance at him as she was brushing her teeth when he entered.

Grabbing his toothbrush, Derek bit his lip. There was a small part of him that wanted to say something to her. What, he didn't know. Was there anything to say? It was quite possible that any words that he could voice would just make the situation worse. At least right now she was quiet. There was no whining, no crying, no venting, no yelling. She was completely silent. She didn't even look sad. Just...blank.

So Derek remained quiet, brushing his teeth as Casey spit into the sink, rinsed her tooth brush and left. He heard her bedroom door close, and that was that.

He finished brushing his teeth and put everything away as well before making his way back to his room, closing the door.

Derek heaved a great sigh and let himself fall onto his bed. Way too much had happened in one night for his mind to process, yet it had all become clogged up in his head like mental traffic causing a pounding.

After several minutes of him staring blankly at his ceiling, his door opened. He barely lifted his head enough to see Casey walk into his room looking as disheveled as ever. Silently she threw an envelope at him, turned on her heel and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Derek sighed but propped himself up and picked the envelope from his chest. He opened it and pulled out one of Casey's Christmas cards.

He observed the cover of the card before opening it.

_I hate it when you're right, Derek._

_Merry Christmas._

_-Casey_

x—x

I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to update this. Most of my updates lately have been pre-written, and I don't have any more of those, so I have to buckle down and really try to work on my stories. I really love this story, and want to know what you guys think of it!

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


	7. Of decorating and war

Warning, my loves. This chapter doesn't have the light-hearted humor that is usually somewhat included in the other chapters. I mean, it's not that bad, but this is the chapter where Derek and Casey really get into their fight. Other than that, it's all mostly filling. Plus, I know this one is kind of short, so sorry!

.I own nothing.

x—x

The first thing Casey saw when she opened her eyes the next morning was her ceiling. But when she closed her eyes she saw Max. Max and Sally. Derek. Emily and Kendra. Derek's eyes. Noel. Max. In between each blink she saw things from the previous day. So no matter how much she wanted to close her eyes and fall back into sleep, she couldn't. So she stared at the ceiling for several minutes before rolling over to look at the clock on her bedside table. 8:30 a.m.

She closed her eyes briefly, only to see the sad and unsure look that had been plastered on Derek's face from the moment he drug her away from Max and Sally.

Her eyes shot open and she blinked several times, quick enough to not see anything. Then she forced herself to get up.

She quickly changed into some sweats and a shirt. She didn't bother to do anything but pull her hair into an untidy ponytail and brushed her teeth before slowly making her descent down the stairs. She had to step around random boxes of Christmas ornaments that were placed on some of the steps.

"Oh, Casey! You're up." Nora said when she saw Casey coming down the stairs while she was heading toward the living room. "Derek said you had a tiring night. Thought you might sleep longer."

"I couldn't fall back asleep." Casey grumbled.

"Sweetie, I hate to ask this of you, but will you help Derek decorate the house? George pulled out all the decorations. For the tree, the outside of the house, the inside. There's a bunch of ornaments and tinsel and all that." Nora explained.

"Is no one else helping?" Casey asked.

"Oh, I'd just like if you helped him start. George and I are taking the rest of the kids out so they can grab a few more gifts. I was just thinking, since you and Derek have already finished your Christmas shopping..." Nora trailed off giving her daughter a pleading look. "We'll help when we get back. We shouldn't be out that long."

Casey sighed. She wasn't in much of a Christmas decorating mood, but then again, anything would be better than sitting around thinking about the night before.

"No problem, mom." Casey said, giving her a fake smile.

"Oh, thank you sweetie." Nora smiled warmly at her daughter.

Casey nodded and walked into the kitchen to grab something to eat. Derek was sitting on a stool by the island with a bowl of cereal.

"I'm your decorating partner for the day." Casey informed Derek as she headed toward the cabinets. She heard Derek groan but he didn't say anything.

"We're leaving." George popped his head into the kitchen. "Thanks for agreeing to help out with the decorating."

"Oh yeah, our pleasure." Derek said with mild sarcasm.

George rolled his eyes but said goodbye and left. A few moments later they heard the front door open and then close.

Casey sighed before taking a bite out of the granola bar she had pulled out of the cabinet.

"We should probably start working." Casey said.

Derek turned and looked at her a moment longer than the standard glance before speaking. "If we must. I guess we should." He agreed.

Casey threw away her granola bar wrapper and refrained from saying anything about the fact that Derek just left his dishes on the island. She was too tired to start an argument when she knew that one would probably somehow erupt from the time they were going to have to share together.

They walked into the living room where more than a dozen other boxes filled with random decorations were scattered around the room.

"Let's leave the tree alone. Everyone should probably help decorate it." Casey suggested.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Derek nodded, looking through some of the boxes.

Casey shook her head but said nothing as the two of them silently began to pull out decorations and string them along places. Casey set up a ceramic Christmas village on the mantel as Derek strung lights around it and around tables and chair legs.

They spent about an hour decorating the downstairs portion of the house with random decorations that they found.

"I'm tired of working inside, let's start working out there." Derek nodded toward the door.

"Fine, but you're doing the lights on the house. I'll do the stuff that keeps my feet on the ground." Casey said.

"Whatever." Derek said as he lifted a large box of assorted Christmas lights and kicked another box he wanted Casey to grab.

Casey picked up the box and trudged outside with Derek where she was met with the bitter nip of an icy breeze. She placed the box on the porch as Derek went around back to grab the ladder. She pulled out some lights that she would need to untangle and a bunch of lighted Christmas scenes like snowmen and reindeer that she could put on windowsills or wrap into one of the bushes.

Derek came back dragging the ladder and let it rest against the roof of the house before going to the box he had brought outside. He picked out some rolled up lights that weren't all tangled like the ones that Casey had and pulled out a staple gun that was tucked inside the box.

He climbed up the ladder placing the staple gun and some rolled up lights on the roof before he started working. Casey stepped into the snow, her feet sinking lightly in the slush and began to line up candy cane light sticks in front of the porch.

Derek started humming a song from the play from the previous night and Casey cringed.

"Derek can you stop?" Casey asked. "I really don't need anything to remind me of yesterday."

"Oh, come on Case." Derek said. "Get over it. Max is a jerk. You should know that, and you shouldn't care about anything that has to do with him."

"Shut up, Derek. You don't know what you're talking about." Casey snapped.

Derek looked at her like she was an idiot.

"Max had been bragging about some girl he was seeing for a week before the two of you broke up. Didn't know it was Sally, or I might have cared more. But like I said, pretty much proves how much of a jerk he is." Derek said.

Casey snapped her head toward him. "You're lying."

Derek scoffed and then chuckled. "Yeah, right. Even though last night you were all, 'You knew, didn't you?'. You heard him yourself. He was cheating on you for _three months, _Case. How can you still try and defend him?"

Casey shook her head. "It doesn't matter now, anyway."

"You're just trying to act like it doesn't bother you that your little Maxy-poo wanted Sally more than he wanted you. But, hey, the guy had just come to his senses."

Derek felt something cold and hard hit his back, causing him to grip the jutting roof to keep balance as he wobbled from the impact. Once he was stable, he looked over his shoulder to see Casey glaring at him, a ball of snow in her hand.

"You didn't." Derek whispered warningly.

"Oh, I did." Casey raised an eyebrow and then threw back her arm, flinging the snowball at Derek. It hit his back again, and he had to grip the roof once more. "Twice."

Derek let out a growl before jumping from the ladder, landing feet from Casey.

She narrowed her eyes at him before quickly grabbing a handful of snow that she sent straight towards his head. And then she ran.

Derek's eyes widened before scooping up snow that barely grazed her before she continued to run for the other side of the house.

Derek quickly grabbed some rolled up lights and ran after her. He made it to the front door before she could close and lock it on him.

Casey pulled down a wreath that she had hung near the door and threw it at him, causing him to stumble and drop the lights as she hurried for the stairs. He was right behind her as she started to run up them. She kicked a box of decorations sitting on one of the steps in Derek's way. He jumped over it and it rolled down the stairs, crashing to the landing with a thud and the tinkling noise of shattered ornaments.

She tried to make it to her room but Derek managed to grab her arm and spin her around, blocking her entrance from any of the bedrooms and the bathroom on the opposite side of him. She glared at him before taking off down the stairs again. Casey had to carefully jump over the mess of ornaments at the bottom of the stairs as she fled towards the living room.

In the living room, Derek faced her. They glared at each other for a moment before Derek grabbed a string of Christmas lights from the couch and threw them at Casey. She managed to catch them and throw them back. Now unrolled, the tangled around Derek like a lasso.

Infuriating Derek more, he grabbed pillows off of the couch and began to chuck them at Casey. As she dodged them one of the pillows hit another box of ornaments that was sitting on the small table. It crashed to the floor as well, causing shattered pieces of sparkling glass to fly everywhere.

"God, Derek!" Casey screamed. "You're such an idiot!"

"You're the idiot!" Derek screamed back. "You dated Max for a year, and you spent eighty-percent of that time wishing he was better. You pretty much drove him toward Sally!"

"It wouldn't have made any difference for you! Sally wouldn't have gone to you anyway! She never wanted anything to do with you! She sees what I see. A spoiled jerk who always gets what he wants and doesn't deserve what he has."

"At least I get what I want most of the time." Derek said fiercely. "But you never will. No one will ever want you like they'll want me. Girls will memorize my schedule just to see me as often as they can. But you'll never get anything but a passing glance at fleeting moments from guys who will never even remember your name."

Casey let out an animal-like scream and reached into another box of ornaments near her and started throwing the glass orbs at Derek.

"Jesus, Spacey!" Derek yelled, dodging the ornaments as they flew toward them and then smashed against the wall behind him.

Finally Casey lunged at him causing them to both fall backwards, hitting the tree in the corner. They both tried to get up, but Derek was still somewhat tangled in the Christmas lights, and Casey's foot got caught in the entanglement. Their struggle ultimately resulted in them falling forward, causing the tree to fall along with them-on top of them.

"Well, are you happy now?" Casey cried, struggling to pull herself out from under the tree.

Derek lifted himself up and easily pushed the tree away, allowing them both to get up and try to brush pine needles off of themselves.

"Ecstatic." Derek said sarcastically.

"You should be." A voice said, causing them both to turn.

George and Nora were both looking at them, Lizzie, Edwin and Marti all looking around with mouths open.

"You managed to wreck the whole house. That's a whole new step for you two." George shook his head.

"Oh, the tree." Nora said, putting a hand to her forehead, staring at the wreckage.

"I'm sure we can fix that..." Derek trailed off looking at the tree with several broken limbs. Pine needles were scattered everywhere.

"Yeah, that looks very fixable." Edwin said sarcastically. Derek shot him a dirty look and he shrunk back.

"I'm really sorry." Casey said. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Sorry doesn't fix this mess." Nora shook her head in disappointment. "I can't believe you two did this. This is out of hand."

"Nora, I really think we should consider what we talked about last week." George said, looking down at his wife. "It seems like a good option, especially now."

"What are you two talking about?" Derek asked.

Nora and George ignored him as they looked at each other, silently debating whatever George had mentioned.

"I think you're right, Georgie." Nora said finally.

"Think what's right?" Casey asked.

Nora turned to her daughter. "George has a cabin in the woods about three hours away from here."

"And as of right now, that is where we are spending the next week." George added.

x—x

I don't like this chapter as much as my others, but it's okay. Please review, because I'm really afraid that I've lost my readers. I love you guys.

Review, loves.

-Tarryn


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